Madness in the Search for Tone

Country Boy Shane · Post by **Country Boy Shane** » Sat May 20, 2006 11:37 am

This is something that has really set in with me the past two years...

I was getting my 1998 Gibson Les Paul DC Standard repaired by my favorite guitar tech Mark Weninger. He does all of his work out of his garage in Rochester Hills but damn, he does a great job. We got on the topic of the search for tone and started talking about great guitar stories.

He starts telling me all these stories of all these rich Oakland County guys who just keep buying and trading up new guitars looking for the tone they hear in their head. Also stories about people just doing silly modifications to treasured instruments all out of this thirst. There was this great story about how this customer wanted Gibson SG tone, but not out of an SG. So Mark built him this all mahogany telecaster with all the rest of the specs trying to closely resemble the SG. He said it sounded close and the customer loved it for about a week, and then he ended up selling it! WHAT!

Then I told him about how I used to have this ultimate quest for Jimmy Page tone. First I got the Les Paul. Then I got the reissue plexi. Then I had the plexi modded by George with a new '69 P2P board, MMOT, JJ tubes. So close only a hair away from the tone. Changed pickups to Seymour Duncan Seth Lovers... oooo getting so close! But then came to the realization of it all.

STOP! WHERE IS YOUR LOVE OF PLAYING?!

My last step in the madness was installing a set of EMG ZW pickups out of John Wilders constant recommendation and knowing what tone I love. I'm not trying to be Zakk, but these are my favorite pickups ever. You can harness such an amazing palette of tones that it's unbelievable. Few will understand just out of the fear of hearing a name like "EMG".

What I'm trying to get at here is that if you get so caught up in your search for tone, you'll start to lose your passion for your instrument. Your drive to be a better musician will fade. The fire in your gut to try and be the best will smoulder. The spirit will fade and now you're just a gear junkie who could have been more. It's a simple formula for good tone. Get a great versitile tube amp. Buy a world class guitar. Get the rest of your tone out of your fingers!!!!!

THAT HAS BEEN THY WORD

-The Illusive Country Boy Shane

MacGaden · Post by **MacGaden** » Sat May 20, 2006 12:17 pm

I hear you, Oh Shane..

Now: If you are so enlightened, your vision so clear, and your path so certain: How come your gear is setup like shrine at home ?...

Nice gear, BTW.

Country Boy Shane · Post by **Country Boy Shane** » Sat May 20, 2006 1:16 pm

Eh ya like that stupid tree and amp huh? Ha ha. It looked really cool at night one time and I took that picture. Things always look tidy in the condo for the most part!

45auto · Post by **45auto** » Mon May 22, 2006 10:22 am

nice post cbs. i think you're your making alot of sense here. everybody has their own strengths & weaknesses, & you sure don't want to waste your musical life bending over backwards to fail at being somebody else. especially when you could succeed at being great at being yourself.

npminard · Post by **npminard** » Mon May 22, 2006 12:01 pm

I agree 100%. Here in Troy, MI, there are a lot of guys who hoard gear as opposed to playing and enjoying the instrument. I've been guilty of that too, when it comes to effects. I've had too many pedals that I don't use, but realized this and "thinned" out my gear.

Question for Country Boy Shane:
I noticed you're in MI and saw that you spoke highly of a Rochester Hills, MI tech named Mark Weninger, who does his work out of his garage. I'm in Troy and looking for someone who does quality work over quanity and I'd tend to trust a smaller operation as well. Was wondering if I PM'd you, you could give me his contact info/e-mail/phone/website or whatever he has? Thanks,

Nathaniel

Country Boy Shane · Post by **Country Boy Shane** » Mon May 22, 2006 11:53 pm

npminard wrote:I agree 100%. Here in Troy, MI, there are a lot of guys who hoard gear as opposed to playing and enjoying the instrument. I've been guilty of that too, when it comes to effects. I've had too many pedals that I don't use, but realized this and "thinned" out my gear.

Question for Country Boy Shane:
I noticed you're in MI and saw that you spoke highly of a Rochester Hills, MI tech named Mark Weninger, who does his work out of his garage. I'm in Troy and looking for someone who does quality work over quanity and I'd tend to trust a smaller operation as well. Was wondering if I PM'd you, you could give me his contact info/e-mail/phone/website or whatever he has? Thanks,

Nathaniel

I used to have like 15 pedals! Now I just have my Vox-Wah modded with the Fulltone Cylde/True-Bypass mod, Fulltone '69, Fullton Mini Deja-Vibe, Fulltone Fat Boost.

Hey man, Mark's been my guy I go to for like all 11 years I've been playing. So that means I've known him since I was 9.. DANG! He's done warranty work for Gibson, builds his own guitars, and now is doing warranty for Taylor. He's awesome and is more like a bud then a snotty stuck-up guitar tech who thinks he is better than you!

http://www.weningerguitars.com/

npminard · Post by **npminard** » Wed May 24, 2006 8:22 pm

Country Boy Shane wrote:
npminard wrote:I agree 100%. Here in Troy, MI, there are a lot of guys who hoard gear as opposed to playing and enjoying the instrument. I've been guilty of that too, when it comes to effects. I've had too many pedals that I don't use, but realized this and "thinned" out my gear.

Question for Country Boy Shane:
I noticed you're in MI and saw that you spoke highly of a Rochester Hills, MI tech named Mark Weninger, who does his work out of his garage. I'm in Troy and looking for someone who does quality work over quanity and I'd tend to trust a smaller operation as well. Was wondering if I PM'd you, you could give me his contact info/e-mail/phone/website or whatever he has? Thanks,

Nathaniel
I used to have like 15 pedals! Now I just have my Vox-Wah modded with the Fulltone Cylde/True-Bypass mod, Fulltone '69, Fullton Mini Deja-Vibe, Fulltone Fat Boost.

Hey man, Mark's been my guy I go to for like all 11 years I've been playing. So that means I've known him since I was 9.. DANG! He's done warranty work for Gibson, builds his own guitars, and now is doing warranty for Taylor. He's awesome and is more like a bud then a snotty stuck-up guitar tech who thinks he is better than you!

http://www.weningerguitars.com/

Awesome, I appreciate it. Thanks a lot, man!

Country Boy Shane · Post by **Country Boy Shane** » Thu May 25, 2006 12:09 pm

You won't be dissapointed.